Echoes of an Unfortunate Future
by Aquilon
Summary: When one era ends another begins. Cynthia, former champion of the Sinnoh Region wakes up one night screaming. A vision? or just a nightmare? Hopefully the latter. Unfortunately for her it doesn't seem like it's going to be that easy, though luckily for her she isn't alone. DarkSteelShipping. Cynthia x Steven. Potential Lemons, rated T for now.
1. Prologue: What Defines Me?

Echoes of an Unfortunate Future

This is a Darksteelshipping fanfiction, that is Cynthia x Steven. Yes it sounds like crack and it probably is but hey I don't care. I really find the possibility quite cute.

Anyway let's get started... by the way... I haven't abandoned my other Pokémon fanfiction it's just University has gotten in the way and I need something new to get on with before I can return and finish them.

Prologue: What Defines Me?

A champion is defined by their legacy, their style of battle, their humility in victory and of course their eventual defeat. If one was to observe her legacy they'd state she was a model champion, she ruled the Sinnoh region for just over ten years, but that was over now.

Her eventual conqueror was the boy she lectured years ago, the kid who had finally learned to care for his Pokémon. She liked to believe she played a role in his development to soften the blow but she knew it was due to the boy's rival, Ash Ketchum.

Yes the new champion was Paul of Veilstone City, she had to admit he deserved it, but even so she felt a little bitter, or more accurately, lost. She had spent her 'best' years as champion, ever since she was a nineteen year old young woman, now she hung precariously on the right side of thirty.

"How long are you going to remain indoors?" the former-champion's grandmother questioned as the woman in question led lazily under her bedding.

"Ungh five more minutes" the blonde haired woman feigned tiredness, unable to find energy to do much since her defeat. It wasn't the loss of her title that pained her, but her direction in life. She had a hefty amount of money left over from her reign as champion, be it from regional matches to exhibitions so it wasn't like she had to worry about working. To be fair this was probably the source of the problem.

Without the need to do work she didn't feel any rush, she was allowed to laze around in bed, there was no longer any urgency to make a living. "Cynthia..." the elderly woman whispered softly as she stared at her granddaughter's covered back momentarily before making for the door.

"Phew" Cynthia gasped in relief... only for her bedding to be yanked off her body. "Grandmother!" she screamed in a girlishly high pitch as she greeted with the cold morning air which Celestic Town was famous for.

"As if I'd let you lounge around all day, get out of bed missy we have a visitor!" the woman, who was barely 5ft tall ordered boldly, making Cynthia forget the chill on her scantily dressed body momentarily as she jolted out of bed.

"Visitor?" the woman asked through chattering teeth, the chill having returned.

"Yes, another person who wants to scale Mt. Coronet, I guessed since you've got nothing to do that it'd be good for you" Professor Carolina informed her granddaughter. It wasn't their business in guiding travellers up the mountain but this person was an acquaintance of hers.

"But-"

"No buts missy, you need to get out a little more, so get dressed and be downstairs as soon as possible!" Carolina silenced the woman before exiting the room, leaving no room for argument.

"-I don't feel like going" Cynthia finished as her grandmother tromped down the stairs. "Why me..." Cynthia moaned briefly as the cold nipped her bare skin once more. "Brr" she shivered loudly before sprinting to the bathroom to seek solace under some hot water, knowing she had no way of disobeying her grandmother.

* * *

After a relatively short shower and getting dressed into her normal attire the former-champion descended the stairs lethargically, spotting the sight of her grandmother and a stranger chatting amicably at the dinner table.

"You're finally here Cynthia" the elderly woman chirped. "I was wondering if I was going to have to come up there again" she joked as the man turned around and gave her a brief nod.

"Good morning" he greeted politely, meeting her grey eyes with his turquoise ones, earning a nod from the young woman.

"Good morning" she replied in an equally polite manner as she walked over to the table and sat with them, she noted that he seemed familiar but she wasn't really in the mood for asking questions.

Silence engulfed the room, it was clear to the man a few years her senior that Cynthia was experiencing serious depression but he didn't touch upon it. "So Carolina, is there anything you'd like me to search for while I'm on the mountain? Seeing as you're offering me a guide so graciously" the man spoke in a thick, upper-class accent, native to western Hoenn.

"Oh aren't you a gentleman" the elderly woman gushed at his polite attitude, something that Cynthia internally mocked. Her grandmother was always a sucker for good looking men who were young enough to be her grandchildren. She was truly a natural cougar. "No that is fine Steven, just do what you normally do" she waved off his offer with a small blush on her face.

"_Steven... where have I heard that name before" _Cynthia wondered as she bit into her toast greedily, eyes observing the man curiously.

"You are most kind Carolina" Steven complimented, eliciting a giggle which was wrong on so many levels from the elderly woman. "So, Cynthia I've heard you're used to climbing Mt. Coronet" Steven started politely, wishing to get her involved in a discussion.

"Ever since she was five years old, she always loved places which were high up and full of Pokémon" Carolina answered for her granddaughter, embarrassing her at the same time.

"Grandmother..." Cynthia practically growled as she finished the toast and turned to Steven. "Shall we get going?" Cynthia said out of the blue, wanting to get the job out of the way as quickly as possible.

"R-Right" Steven said as he put his food down and looked to Carolina who gave him a rueful expression. "Let's" he said as he followed the woman who'd already started to walk towards the door.

"You'll help her right?" Carolina whispered as he passed her.

"I'll do my best" Steven answered kindly as he walked out of the open door and closed it, leaving the old woman alone.

"Someone like him should be able to get through to her... I hope"

* * *

Four hours had past and Cynthia was bereft with questions as she witnessed the man whom she assumed was a rich boy scale a rocky mountain face with zero difficulty. "Do you really need a guide? You seem to be doing fine on your own" Cynthia asked as she began to climb up the rope he'd dropped down for her.

"Of course, it's always best to have somebody knowledgeable on the area when you go cave exploring" the silver haired man said coolly as he seized her hand and pulled her up the final section.

"Thanks" Cynthia remarked gratefully as she brushed any excess dust off her black attire. "So you do this often?" Cynthia queried.

"It's been my hobby for a long time, I'm practically a professional now since I lost my title" Steven stated nonchalantly as he pulled a torch out of his backpack and flipped it on to illuminate the gradually darkening cavern.

"Title?" Cynthia asked curiously.

"Hoenn Champion" Steven answered her, eliciting a gasp from the blonde woman, he didn't respond, he saw no need to.

"W-Wait you're THE Steven Stone... I knew you looked familiar" Cynthia questioned almost embarrassedly, she should have known he was a champion, wasn't that like one of her former duties or something?

"Yes, and I'll take it as a compliment that you know about me" Steven chuckled as he walked onwards into the darkening cavern, leaving the woman behind, but now with her interest piqued she quickly caught up.

"Why would a former champion spend his time in dark caves?" Cynthia asked almost dubiously. "Shouldn't you be training to retake your title?"

"Are you training to get your title back?" Steven questioned as he directed the torch towards a pack of Chingling.

"Not really" Cynthia answered, realizing how odd it seemed that despite her feelings of loss that she wasn't particularly motivated to train for a rematch.

"Exactly, well to be fair I did originally intend to" Steven admitted as he pressed on, weaving between a few stalagmites as he did so.

"Then why didn't you try?" Cynthia queried, hotly on his tail, knowing he could potentially provide her with answers she desperately needed.

"The Hoenn league has a one year waiting period for rematches; originally I took my defeat to Wallace badly. I trained too much and ended up getting ill from stress... like you I became... lost" Steven said without any hint of sadness. "I started to treat my Pokémon badly, not consciously of course, but I so desperately wanted my title" Steven revealed as he turned to Cynthia.

"It was a tough time, the doctors told me to do something I found enjoyable to alleviate my symptoms. Stress and obsession do that to you" the man informed wisely as he go back to ploughing forward.

"So you decided to explore caves?" Cynthia asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Not exactly" Steven revealed as he stopped in front of a large stone wall which was made of a different material than the rest of the cave. "Aron come on out" the steel-master ordered, summoning the small Iron Armour Pokémon which instantly attacked the rock face.

"I have a fondness for rare stones" Steven continued as Aron stopped and turned to his trainer, crying out excitedly. "Did you find them Aron?" Steven asked, looking down to see three stones. "Yes!" he cheered like a child, eyes sparkling with delight.

"...W-What did you find?" Cynthia asked as she walked to his side and looked down, spotting a Dusk, Dawn and Shiny stone. "...So this is what you were searching for?" Cynthia asked in an almost disappointed manner, she was expecting something a little more... fantastic.

"Yes, I'm sure to a fine young woman like you that rock collecting is boring, but I love it" Steven complimented as he crouched down, packing the stones into a satchel before getting back to his feet.

"You're only a few years older than me" Cynthia responded bashfully to his words as he gave her a mature, kindly smile.

"Anyway, during my sick-leave I realised something" Steven continued on without paying much attention to Cynthia's embarrassment. "Being champion was but just one part of me" Steven revealed proudly. "I had spent so much time as the champion that I hadn't thought past that, I allowed what I thought I was to cloud my vision. I had come to identify myself as the champion of Hoenn, not Steven Stone"

"You mean there's more than being champion for people like us?" Cynthia asked hesitantly, a slither of hope coating her words.

"Yes, so much more" Steven remarked as he returned Aron to his Pokéball. "Don't think that all there is to life is battling, none of us can fight forever. Some people might be able to... but that would be the minority" Steven lectured. "Our Pokémon are our friends, not our tools for battle, I forgot that along the way and that is probably why I lost" he admitted, eyes revealing his regret.

"..." Cynthia remained silent, allowing her ears to soak up the knowledge he was imparting.

"But I'm sure you already knew that" Steven joked, laughing boisterously, Cynthia however couldn't laugh, Steven was wrong, she didn't know that.

"So, do you have any hobbies besides battling?" Steven asked as he spotted the look of sadness on her face.

"I'm fond of history and mythology, mainly of the Sinnoh region" Cynthia remarked quietly, earning a light-hearted chuckle from the silver-haired gentleman. _"Did I say something strange?" _Cynthia wondered self-consciously.

"That's a fine hobby, I'd recommend Hoenn myths, though I'm a little biased since they involve a lot of tunnels" Steven joked heartily as he put a hand on her shoulder, stunning her momentarily. "Wouldn't it be more fun pursuing your hobbies than obligations?" he asked her with a serious look in his eyes, a smile creeping onto his face.

"Try experiencing freedom, just like a ten year old going on their first adventure, you'll feel better" Steven finished, winking as he removed his hand from her shoulder.

"I... never thought about that" Cynthia admitted, a small blush on her face. "Thank you" she continued gratefully.

"Any time, I should thank you for being such good company" Steven complimented charmingly as he backtracked towards where they'd climbed up, leaving behind a very appreciative young woman.

"_Honestly thank you Steven... and of course you too Grandmother" _Cynthia thought, knowing exactly why her grandmother sent her now and she had to admit she felt much better because of it.

"I'd hate to leave a lady too far behind" Steven said from the opposite side of the cavern making the former-champion flush once more. "You coming?" he asked, eliciting a concealed sigh from the woman who smiled brightly before following after the man with renewed vigour and spirits.

* * *

It was dusk by the time the duo reached Cynthia and Carolina's home. "There you two are I was getting a little worried!" Professor Carolina called out from the living room window, a smile on her face as she spotted the renewed life on her granddaughter's face.

"I'm sorry for worrying you Carolina" Steven apologised with a bow but Cynthia merely raised a thin brow.

"Don't worry Steven; grandmother would never worry about such things... especially when Volkner is the main guest on her daily chat show" Cynthia joked, silencing Carolina who knew her granddaughter was right.

"I-I see" the gentleman stuttered momentarily.

"I'll leave you two alone for a moment" Carolina said in an insinuating manner, cackling as she closed the window and returned to the television.

"So... what are you going to do now?" Cynthia asked curiously in an attempt to fill the silence.

"I heard of this interesting cave in the Unova region called Chargestone Cave, I've never been to Unova so it'll be interesting" Steven said with childish excitement.

"It's a nice place, I have a friend who lends me her villa occasionally, there's also a lot of Steel-Type Pokémon that would interest you so I'm sure you won't be bored" Cynthia informed the man as she joined her hands behind her back awkwardly.

"Interesting" Steven remarked without a hint of sarcasm. "And you, what are you going to do?" Steven asked kindly.

"I think I'll study Johto mythology and history. The people of Sinnoh have always been close to those from Johto so perhaps I can find something interesting" Cynthia commented with excitement that matched Steven's rock enthusiasm.

"That's the spirit" he told her as he pulled out a small piece of paper. "If you ever need someone to talk to, or if you find some interesting stones, please feel free to call" he said as he slipped the piece of paper into her hand.

"I wish you luck with your travels Cynthia" Steven bowed as Carolina opened the door to spy Cynthia blush ever so slightly before shaking his hand.

"Good luck to you as well" she replied politely, earning a smile from the man before he walked away, one hand held aloft waving to her as Carolina walked to Cynthia's side.

"He's a nice guy isn't he?" Carolina teased.

"Yeah..." Cynthia agreed instantly.

"Ooh... does little Cynthia have a crush?" Carolina joked as Cynthia laughed maturely before turning to the door.

"Grandmother..." Cynthia whispered with a smile on her face. "That's silly talk."

* * *

(End Chapter)

So you may be wondering, what exactly is going to happen in this fiction? Well it is going to be an adventure and will be a serious action one at the same time. The characters are more mature, both are adults who are 30+ or close to that milestone anyway.

I'm looking forward to writing this for It's actually been something I've planned for quite some time now.

Thanks for reading and I hope you can find time to review.

-Aquilon


	2. Whispers from the Founder

Echoes of an Unfortunate Future Chapter Two

Hey everybody, unlike the last chapter which was a mere prologue, the story starts now. Thank you for those who have put up with the last chapter, for it was poor, hopefully this one will make up for it.

I would also like to thank those who found time to review, it makes me feel great that people are interested in this fiction and some have even recognized me from my other work and decided to give it a shot based off that.

Whispers from the Founder

The sky was illuminated in a crimson hue mixed with a golden aurora. Snowcapped mountains, melting as the aurora fell. Burning debris falling into the forests below, setting them alight, scorching the earth and all those who stood upon it, humans, Pokémon, the destructive force did not discriminate. A sight of a true hell, Sinnoh was burning and Mt. Coronet was falling.

"_Why?" _a lone woman screamed in her mind, her voice was already gone, her body was no longer hers, she couldn't control herself.

Scared.

She was scared, terrified, she didn't want to die, but she also knew there was no escape. This force was unsurpassable and oppressive. All will to fight was gone, there was no-one there, nobody to lend her aid, she was alone.

Celestic Town was crumbling under the footsteps of terrified Pokémon. They didn't mean to, they just wanted to escape the destruction, but fear blinds the soul, so it's no wonder that a stampede was created.

_**Listen to my voice**_

"_W-What?" _Cynthia shivered involuntarily as she dragged herself to her feet through sheer willpower, she wanted to run but instead she looked up at the burning skies.

_**You, wHy DiD yoU not LiSTen?**_

The visage of the glowing eye burned in Cynthia's mind, her vision was blood red. She wasn't going to last much longer, nobody was, the floor was already crumbling, Sinnoh was going to crack under its own weight and disappear into the void.

"_T-To?" _Cynthia queried frightfully, she couldn't see, her vision was now black, all she had left was her thoughts and those were plagued by the eye which seemingly peered into her soul.

_**My WArnIng**_

The fragmented voice roared inside her mind as a bestial screech erupted from the sky which was no longer visible, the ground shook from the pitch, her ears bled, it was over.

"_You..." _Cynthia spluttered, tears escaping her eyes. "TOLD ME NOTHING!" she screamed like a traumatised child as rocks crashed against her body, crushing and splintering the bones in her legs as they protruded, bursting out her skin, paralyzing her in a mixture of physical debilitation and mind numbing terror. Yet she couldn't scream out again, her voice was gone, why did she have to be put through this?

_**Well...**_

_**Count this as your warning.**_

Cynthia let out a blood curdling scream as her body jolted forward, hands scrunched against the bedding as tears streamed out of her now wide-eyes. "W-W-wh" Cynthia tried to speak but she couldn't control her heavy breathing. Her limbs convulsed painfully as she slowly let go of the bedding and wrapped her arms around her torso unsteadily in an attempt of self-comfort.

"_What... was that?" _she cried in her mind, she suddenly wished somebody was with her, be it her grandmother or even a random stranger. Unfortunately she was alone, having chosen the small research cabin at the Ruins of Alph excavation site as her lodgings, oh how she was regretting it now.

She hadn't had a nightmare since she was a small girl, after her parent's death in a climbing accident on Mt. Coronet. Since then she had been a sound sleeper to the point where she never dreamed, her nights were always empty until the moment she finally awoke.

'_Count this as your warning'_

The overbearing voice reverberated inside her mind, forcing another convulsion as one hand went to her mouth. The 'memories' of her body being broken forcing bile into her throat, in response she climbed out of bed woozily and stumbled towards the bathroom, kneeling down in front of the toilet.

"Blurggh" she violently released the contents of her stomach, stinging her throat as she did so, not once, not even twice but at least five times. "This..." she panted, releasing another mouthful. "Ugh, disgusting" she cried as her stomach seemed to settle.

"That... was no ordinary nightmare" Cynthia claimed as she continued to breathe heavily, eyes unfocused, she couldn't really comprehend her own surroundings. "Even the nightmares of my childhood... were never that bad" she strained hoarsely, body still shaking profusely.

"_Grandmother used to tell stories of such events when I was a child... but I never dreamt of it"_ Cynthia remembered as she struggled to her feet and over to the water basin where she rinsed her mouth clean before splashing some onto her face.

"Is it because I'm alone?" Cynthia queried her reflection in the mirror above the basin, a strand of loneliness present in her voice. It wasn't like being alone bothered her often though, she'd travelled alone as a child but even so she hadn't been on her own for awhile. "I've only been in Johto for three months, don't tell me that I'm homesick" Cynthia tried to fool herself with a self-depreciating chuckle, but deep down she kind of knew that dream had some alternative meaning.

"_It could have been the Unown" _she thought hopefully, after all the Ruins of Alph was the first known location of the mysterious Pokémon, but to be fair if that really was the case then the question of 'what reason would they have for doing it?' would arise.

"It was just a nightmare... nothing serious" she lied to her reflection which seemed to glare back at her indignantly. Cynthia wasn't the type of woman to turn tail, she was strong, as a former champion that was a given.

Yet despite her well of inner strength she felt as if reading further into the nightmare would only bring sorrow. It was impossible that such an event could occur, it had to be, right?

"O-Of course it's plain idiocy to think further" Cynthia's voice quivered as she walked back to previous room and stared down at the bed. "It's not too early..." Cynthia lied as she made a glance at the digital alarm clock which read 03:18. "I'll just continue my research" she told herself as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

The lodgings were small comprising of only two rooms, a bathroom and a living room which doubled as a bedroom so it wasn't like she had to walk far to her laptop so she reasoned once she got sleepy she could just climb into bed.

So as the clock turned twenty past the hour the former champion flipped on her laptop, the screen illuminating the dark room revealing the background image of herself in Ecruteak City alongside her guide Morty the gym leader. In retrospect they kind of looked like a couple but it didn't particularly bother her, after all it was a beautiful picture and she had to admit she loved the city which was so rich in Johtoian history.

"Maybe a few articles as light reading" the blonde haired woman murmured, snatching up her reading glasses which sported black thin frames before searching the internet for any documents on ancient Johto.

'_Count this as your warning' _echoed in her mind once more, forcing another involuntary shiver.

"It's okay, it's nothing... it's nothing"

* * *

Morning had fallen and Cynthia had still yet to move, her eyes glued to the glowing laptop screen. Throughout the night her searches drifted from Johtoian history and towards research on the Unown, she noticed that the hieroglyphics in Alph were a little different from the ones in Sinnoh but she was pretty sure she could decipher them now, having written down important notes and symbols throughout her study.

"_I still can't get that nightmare out of my mind" _Cynthia thought worriedly as she finally pulled back from the screen, hastily dressing herself afterwards before making her way to the bathroom to do her hair. Bathing daily wasn't an absolute necessity to Cynthia who assumed that was one of the good things she'd picked up from her journeying as a child, despite this she usually did bathe daily but... she just wasn't in the mood to give herself any free thinking time today.

"At least I finished my Unown translating guide... in theory anyway" Cynthia mumbled as she finished styling her hair, walking back to the room, seizing her rucksack, stuffing research materials into it quickly before exiting the compact lodging.

"Good morning Cynthia, you're up early" a researcher remarked instantly, taking her by surprise.

"G-Good morning" Cynthia flinched, still on edge but she still had enough wits about her to notice something was off. "You're up early as well... did something happen?" the woman asked curiously as approached him.

"Oh yes! This morning one of the researchers discovered a new cavern, it just appeared overnight, we haven't even been digging there" the researcher revealed excitedly, clearly he was very passionate about his job like pretty much everyone at the Alph excavation site.

"Really!? How fascinating" a genuinely intrigued Cynthia remarked. "Is there anything interesting in there?" she followed up earning a shrug.

"They're not letting me check, only the higher ups are allowed in, how lame" the researcher complained, interesting the woman even further.

"Do you think there's any way they'd let me take a peek?" Cynthia questioned, getting a shake of the head from the young man.

"No way" the man stated bluntly before assuming a thinking pose. "...Actually there is a possibility if it's you" the man said cryptically, earning a raise of a brow from the former champion.

"Which means?" Cynthia asked.

"Can't say, I'm not the kind of guy to go telling other people's secrets, even if it's not much of a secret" the researcher declared proudly. "If you want to try though I recommend asking the chief" the man advised as he clicked his neck to the side. "Well I best be off, I have to deliver these materials to my co-workers" he stated, directing his eyes downwards before walking off, leaving Cynthia wondering how phased out she had to have been to not notice the books he was carrying.

"Well that was informative" Cynthia mused with a smile as she walked off to find the chief, glad to find some form of distraction so early in the day.

* * *

Most surprising to the woman was the fact that she found the chief rather easily. The man, in his early forties, was the epitome of the stereotypical 'weedy, intelligent type'. He sported thick, circler framed glasses and untamed almost greasy black hair along with a thin body frame and rather pale skin.

"Good morning chief" Cynthia called out the moment the man turned to him, making him flinch in a manner similar to a startled animal.

"C-C-C-Cynthia" the man stuttered, not from nervousness, it's just that he possessed a speech impediment. "S-So g-g-good to see you" he continued, trying to sound calm but his faintly shaking legs gave him away.

"Why thank you" she replied courteously, offering him a fake smile which only made his knees shake more. _"Ah I see" _Cynthia thought, continuing to smile. "How are you this morning?" Cynthia asked as she walked over to the man so that they were face to face.

"G-G-Good" he stuttered, attempting to realign his posture which seemed to be permanently slouched, this only added to the allusion of his weak character. "W-We f-found a ch-chamber th-this morning" he said with noticeable excitement, even if it was masked by his unfortunate stutter.

"That sounds brilliant, were you digging there recently?" Cynthia asked, hiding her knowledge, seeing as it would be detrimental to her if she told the man.

"N-no actually it o-opened up o-overnight" he revealed. "W-we a-are currently i-investigating the inner c-chamber" he continued, looking in the direction of the chamber before turning back to Cynthia.

"That sounds mysterious" Cynthia guided the conversation, smiling at him. "I'd _love _to have a look for myself" she admitted, there was no lies in her words, but she did feel bad that she was even attempting to 'encourage' the man to let her have a look.

"R-really?" the man stuttered, this time it wasn't due to his impediment. "W-Well... I-it is c-currently being e-examined b-but I c-could let you have a l-look" he spluttered, making the ex-champion's grey eyes gleam with delight.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed joyously, feeling worse that she was using the man's obvious crush on her to her advantage. "Would you mind if I take a look now?" she asked gaining a fervent shake of the head.

"N-not at a-all, i-if you f-find anything p-please l-let us know" he replied, blushing as the woman surged off towards the chamber without any hesitation, slightly realizing that he'd been duped but at the same time, unwilling to believe it.

* * *

The inside of the chamber was as one would expect, dark, kind of compact but still glorious to one who found ancient structures fascinating. The walls were coated in hieroglyphics, scripts in the language of the Unown left behind by Arceus knows who. However despite how interesting that was to Cynthia there was something else that seemed to catch her eyes, something much more interesting.

In the centre of the room was a large tablet, made from a substance different than the outer and inner walls. It was clearly a manmade chamber, something that anybody with sufficient knowledge would understand. Yet the material wasn't the focal point of her attention, it was the square indent on the slab that really caught her eye.

Inside this indent were many tiles, each bearing odd patterns, some of these were coloured in red, purple or blue. It was puzzling but undeniably intriguing, in fact she felt almost... drawn to it, to the point where she'd already kind of pushed somebody out of the way so she could stand directly in front of it.

Upon closer inspection of the tablet the former champion found some writing in Unown directly above the indent. _"Hmm" _Cynthia murmured, dropping her bag to the floor before pulling out a sheet of paper and some charcoal, she then placed the paper over the writing and used the charcoal to etch the writing onto the paper which she swiftly put back into her bag.

Once done she directed her vision back to the indent. _"This has to be some sort of puzzle... not only that, these colours... I know they represent something... I've seen this before but where?" _Cynthia questioned internally, but before the answer could formulate she felt a tap on the shoulder, snapping her out of her concentration.

"Yes?" Cynthia asked, turning a high ranked member of the excavation team. "Can I help you?" Cynthia asked as the man sort of glared at her.

"Yes, leave" the man said bluntly. "I don't care if the chief has a crush on you or if you're an ex-champion, but you're obstructing us so leave" the man reiterated, taking the woman by surprise.

"..." Cynthia was quiet, turning back to the indent once more before moving out of his way. "Ok then" she surrendered quickly, knowing that asking politely or even arguing would do nothing, she'd already gained something valuable already.

So with that she walked out and headed straight for her lodging, she had things to do.

* * *

Once back in the cabin she quickly pulled out the etching of the Unown letters and her 'translation guide' which came in the form of a black notebook. "If that indent is a puzzle then this must be a clue to its solution" Cynthia deduced as she sat down in front of the desk, flipping the pages erratically to try and find a match.

"Hmm" she murmured, once again drifting into deep concentration which would last a further three hours before she struck gold. "T-This is" Cynthia stuttered as she finished translating the words onto a blank page.

'ARCEUS... BIRTH... HIS... CHILDREN'

The writing was archaic seeing as it was very ancient, nothing ever translated perfectly from Unown but it could be adapted. "I wasn't expecting something like this" she practically sung, after all Arceus was one of the mysteries of the Pokémon world.

In fact there was a theory amongst many scholars that Arceus himself is a myth. Unlike most legendary Pokémon which had some form of catalogued history, Arceus had nothing but myths. "His... Children" Cynthia said slowly as the three colours flashed in her mind, making her eyes go wide.

"Could it really be that simple?" Cynthia mumbled as she turned on her laptop once more and shoved her USB stick into the side, quickly opening one of her many files on Sinnoh's legendary Pokémon which revealed the three emblems of Girantina, Dialga and Palkia.

"This has to be it!" Cynthia declared with a smile, thoughts of the nightmare almost completely banished by the wondrous powers of curiosity and excitement. "So... all I have to do is arrange those tiles... but what will happen?" Cynthia wondered as her mind flittered briefly to the giant tablet and at that moment something resounded in her mind.

'_If you ever need someone to talk to, or if you find some interesting stones, please feel free to call'_

"_Steven is knowledgeable in rare stones and stuff like that right?" _Cynthia inwardly queried as she thought of the giant tablet, it would be unwise to approach such things rashly for that often lead to mistakes, besides... she was feeling kind of lonely.

"I'll just give him a call to see if he knows anything" Cynthia said out loud as she pulled out her Pokégear, unaware that her actions were about to alter the fates of thousands, if not millions of people.

* * *

(End Chapter)

That's another chapter down. I'm so used to writing hot-headed and quite frankly partially retarded characters that writing somebody with such a cool head is interesting. Cynthia is a character I enjoy deeply. She is interesting, beautiful and has a very cool roster of Pokémon.

I could have extended this chapter more, but I felt there was no need, I got the parts I wanted to portray across so it's all good.

So as you can see, Arceus is going to be a central plot-point of this story, but also Cynthia's emotional maturity. She despite all her attitude maturity and physical she deals with things in unique manners, or at least that is how I am portraying her.

Feel free to give me criticism as long as it's not baseless flaming,** I would also appreciate some reviews to get me in the spirit,** after all I wrote this after studying for eight hours today, yes life at University is tough.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed.

-Aquilon


End file.
